Where Our first stop was Île de Bréhat in North Brittany. What makes the island special is that no cars are allowed, adding to the serenity of the place. Most people visit for a day-trip to hike or bike, but there also exist hotels and campings on the island.
How to get there The only way to reach the island is by ferry from Pointe de l’Arcouest. Tickets can be bought for 11,50 EUR on site or online in advance from www.vedettesdebrehat.com. Although it is unlikely that the ferry is fully booked in low season, we still opted for the online tickets as it allows you to save time and skip the ticket line (for summer however, it is strongly recommended to get your tickets in advance). There is a parking right next to the port which cost us 7EUR for a whole day. If you want to save money and don’t mind a bit of walking, it is also possible to find parking in the streets a bit further away.
Moving around The island presents over 30km of hiking paths and you basically have 2 options: walk or bike. As we wanted to go all around, but only had a few hours, we chose the 2nd option. There are several places to rent a bike and as we were there during low season, it was no problem to do so spontaneously. When we asked if a lock for the bicycle was included, the guy looked at us and said with a grin: “Naaah, you won’t need that here!” Now we were definitely intrigued.
Let the adventure begin!
The island is basically separated in two parts. We started in the south, but before the adventure truly began, we made sure to find some food.
First things first… food!
Like any good vegans, our first stop was at the local supermarket, a “Carrefour express” that was around 1km away from the ferry stop. Here, you can find enough to survive the day, but don’t expect too much (think basics like bread, fruits, veggies). Not only is it France, but Brittany, and a small island on top of that:-) So you can imagine how surprised and happy we were with our discovery of the day. L’entracte, a cute little café-restaurant offering various sandwiches. Their vegetarian sandwich could easily be transformed into a vegan one by leaving out the cheese, and it was still fully packed with hummus and veggies. A chat with the owner revealed that they even have plant milk for coffee! Those that know France know what a rarity this still is in some parts of the country.
A few minutes later, we came across a small food shop offering organic fruits and vegetables just next to the road. It is based on a self service system, which means you are supposed to leave your money for the goods you buy in a little box. Another proof for the goodwill and trust that seem to reign on this small island.
Exploring
We cycled all the way to the north part of the island, where we parked our bikes to explore the more rocky parts by foot. A big part of the place is dominated by dried up grass and bushes, as well as the brown-reddish rocks that stand in a lovely contrast to the dark blue color of the sea. We had fun climbing around, taking pictures and just enjoying the fresh breeze of the sea.
As it turned out, Île de Bréhat offers many such playgrounds, for example its muddy areas.
Another feature of the island are the charming stone country houses that you will come across during your stay.
Last but not least, for those who want to take a swim, the island also has a beach not too far away from the port!
Where to eat vegan on Ile de Bréhat?
L’entracte : Small café-restaurant in the village of Île de Bréhat offering various sandwiches. Their vegetarian sandwich containing hummus and various veggies can easily be transformed into a vegan one by leaving out the cheese. A chat with the owner revealed that they even have plant milk for coffees, but was sadly sold out on the day that we were there.